Double Agent
by vashsunglasses
Summary: AU. An Autobot double agent reveals himself from among the ranks of the Decepticons at the behest of Optimus Prime.
1. Whoever can surprise well must conquer

Title: Double Agent

Author: vashsunglasses

Rating: T

Fandom: Transformers 2007

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers and I make no money from this story.

Summary: Movieverse. AU. An Autobot double agent reveals himself from among the ranks of the Decepticons at the behest of Optimus Prime.

* * *

"Wait, so there's a new Autobot on Earth?" Sam tightened his grip on the steering wheel as Mikaela leaned forward curiously from where she sat in the back seat. 

"Not at all," Bumblebee replied, "Apparently this Autobot has been here for a while now, working undercover with the Decepticons as a double agent."

Sam gasped, "Who is it Bee?"

'Whoever it is, they must be really brave to work with those creeps,' Mikaela thought.

"…"

"You don't know, do you?" Sam said with a grin, patting the dashboard mockingly.

"Not a clue," Bumblebee muttered. "I asked around but no one else knew either."

Mikaela sat back in her seat and tapped her chin thoughtfully, "Or maybe they just aren't telling you."

Sam bounced in place excitedly, "It could be an alien conspiracy! Trust no one, the truth is out there!"

The radio gave out static for a moment before playing the X-Files theme.

Sam whistled along until Mikaela smacked him lightly on the back of the head, "Thanks for that Agent Mulder."

Sam turned in his seat, wrapping his arms around the headrest and smirking at his girlfriend, "It's not my fault that spooky shows give you nightmares."

Bumblebee darkened the tint on his windows as much as he dared and nervously tightened the seatbelt, "Sam, could you please turn around and at least pretend to be driving?"

Sam squeaked and turned around in the seat.

"As for what you said earlier Mikaela," Bumblebee said seriously as the song ended, hiding his amusement at the blush on his charge's face, "I don't believe that Ironhide or Rachet would keep something like this from me. Optimus said that due to the extreme danger of the assignment, only he knew who the agent is."

Sam worried his lip, "So why is he telling everybody now? Isn't it still dangerous with Starscream and the other Decepticons probably headed to Earth?"

Mikaela nodded in agreement.

"I am unsure," Bumblebee replied quietly. "Optimus seems adamant that secrecy is no longer a viable option. I am sure we will know more once we arrive at the lookout."

Sam turned to look Mikaela in the eyes, then with a wicked grin they both asked, "Are we there yet?"

"No," Bumblebee replied, "We still have at least 20 miles left to go."

A pause, then, "Are we there yet?"

"…No,"

"Are we there yet?"

"…"

"Are we there yet?"

"…"

"Are we there yet?"

"…"

"Are we there yet?"

"…Humans are a strange species," Bumblebee grumped, his complaint punctuated by the giggles of his two passengers. He had a feeling that the next 20 minutes would be the longest of his lifetime, and for a multi-million year old alien robot that's saying a lot.

* * *

"You're late," Ironhide grumped, crossing his huge arms across his chest plate in such a way as to show off his cannons to maximum effect. Ratchet frowned at the new arrivals and Will waved distractedly from his perch upon a small boulder before talking quietly into his cell phone. Optimus stood apart from the group and only nodded when Bumblebee rolled up. 

"Mmmm, coffee," Sam muttered as he climbed out of the front seat. Mikaela elbowed him accidentally on purpose as she climbed out of the back with her own cup.

Ratchet glared down at the three of them as Bumblebee took the opportunity to transform and stretch his limbs. "You went for coffee?" he asked accusingly.

Bumblebee shrugged carelessly, "They were thirsty," he replied, then grew worried as Ratchet's glare darkened, "The line at the Starbucks drive through took longer than we thought," he exclaimed defensively.

"Whatever," Ratchet muttered, turning away and stomping over to where Optimus stood, "Everyone's here now, so can we finally meet this mysterious Autobot of yours? I have very important, time sensitive research that was put on hold and I'd like to get back to it."

Optimus nodded calmly but his optics glittered with hidden nervousness, "Forgive me, old friend, but in this case a simple introductory party would not suffice. This Autobot has been under very deep cover, and because of that has had to commit acts against the Autobot cause to maintain that cover."

Ironhide's optics narrowed suspiciously, "We've fought against this bot before, haven't we?"

Will's eyes widened and he snapped his phone closed. "Is this someone I've met?" he asked with a frown.

Optimus shifted guiltily, "I don't believe you have met this particular bot…"

"What about me?" Sam spoke up, a nasty suspicion rising through his gut.

A dark voice broke in from the edge of the lookout, "We've met."

There was a short astonished pause and then Ironhide, Ratchet, and Bumblebee drew their cannons and aimed them at the threat, Bumblebee stepping defensively in front of his humans, "Barricade!"

The dark form didn't move except to smirk, "Excellent reflexes you have there. You're going to need them if we are to keep the Decepticons from obliterating this planet."

Optimus Prime sighed in a release of hot air from his vents, "My friends, I'd like you to meet the double agent, Autobot Prowl."


	2. Only the brave know how to forgive

Title: Double Agent

Author: vashsunglasses

Rating: T

Fandom: Transformers 2007

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers and I make no money from this story.

Summary: Movieverse. AU. An Autobot double agent reveals himself from among the ranks of the Decepticons at the behest of Optimus Prime.

Note: I wasn't going to make a second chapter for this story, but today I have had a gigantic urge to write and have updated three fics so far… I'm very pleased with this chapter and I hope you will be too.

* * *

At first, Sam had been just as wary as any of the Autobots over their new Strategy expert, Prowl. He could still hear "Are you ladiesman217?" in his nightmares and he found it difficult to forget those cold red eyes, even if they were now a shade of arctic blue. Things were tense around the base, and no one spoke to Prowl unless it was in the line of duty, otherwise he was surrounded by an uneasy and frankly suspicious silence. Only Optimus Prime treated him like one of the team.

In return, Prowl said little and never initiated casual conversation with anyone. He was quick and efficient in his work, then retired as soon as he was finished to his quarters.

Sam watched as Prowl left the room after another long day of work and felt his stomach clench with shame. Intellectually he knew that the Autobots had legitimate reasons for excluding the former 'Decepticon', but it still felt wrong to him. Nobody should be alone like that. He was sure that even Megatron… er, yeah. Well anyway, it sucked that he was all alone like that. He had probably given up more than anybody to do what he did, and it wasn't fair that nobody gave him even a little respect.

Not that Sam was any better. He had been avoiding Prowl since he had been revealed. When Optimus had said, "My friends, I'd like you to meet the double agent, Autobot Prowl." Sam's response had been to turn around and walk away as fast as his feet could carry him. The thought of having to spend time in the presence of the bot that had terrorized him made him sick to his stomach.

Now he just felt sick with guilt over it. Prowl had never said anything, never complained, but Sam could tell that he wasn't happy. He could almost imagine what it would feel like to be a double agent. To never be able to open up the people you are working with because you were spying on them. It sounded incredibly lonely, and then the thought of coming back home only to have everybody hate you…

Sam sighed and slumped down in his chair. Everyone except for Optimus had left the room while he had been thinking, and now it was just him and the Autobot leader.

"Um… Optimus?" he called out hesitantly.

Prime set down the data pad he had been reading and focused his attention on Sam.

Sam blushed slightly. It always disconcerted him when the great leader of the Autobots, Optimus Prime, gave him his full attention as if an insignificant human like him actually mattered to an ancient being like Optimus. "Um… Well, I was just wondering," he ran his hand through his hair, "What I mean is… Er…"

"Yes, Sam?" Optimus prodded gently.

"You knew Prowl before the war right? Er… Whatwashelike?"

Prime's optics widened in a surprisingly human gesture. Then his face softened into what could only be called a joyful smile. He examined Sam for a moment as if trying to read his mind, then nodded firmly and picked up his data pad, heading for the door.

Sam's heart sunk. Maybe his question had been too personal?

Prime stopped at the door and turned to look over his shoulder at the young human. Samuel James Witwicky never ceased to amaze him. "Perhaps it would be best," he said kindly, "If you asked him that question yourself."

Sam could feel his heart begin to thud in his chest as the Autobot leader left the room. Ask him himself? After the way Sam and everyone else had treated him? He could just imagine knocking on Prowl's door and then getting the door slammed in his face when Prowl saw who it was…

But then again when was the last time Sam had seen Prowl act in aggression towards anyone? His actions as a 'Decepticon' obviously didn't count and Sam was drawing a blank. He was going to have to confront the situation head on and do as Optimus had suggested. He squared his shoulders and drew in a deep breath through his nose. He could do this.

Moving quickly before he lost his nerve, he crossed the huge room and exited through the human sized door that stood along side the Autobot sized door. Then he began the long trek towards the Autobots' living quarters where Prowl had his room. As he walked along he clenched and unclenched his fists rhythmically trying to keep his courage.

He could do this. He could do this. He really hoped he didn't run into anybody on the way there. He didn't know if he could explain to Bumblebee exactly why being alone in the same room with Prowl was such a good idea. From the defensive looks Bee gave Prowl every time they were in the same room, Sam was pretty sure that Bee was still hung up over what had happened at the Junkyard.

He rounded the corner and suddenly he could see Prowl's room up ahead. What had seemed like an interminable walk now seemed to be going by all too quickly as the door loomed over him. He stopped in front of the door and swallowed hard. "No Sacrifice, No Victory," he muttered, then quickly reached out and pushed the door buzzer.

For a long minute there was silence and Sam began to loose his nerve. Maybe he wasn't even there. He backed away nervously, then turned towards the way he had come in.

And that's when he heard the sound of deep muffled footsteps coming towards him on the other side of the door. He froze as he heard the door slide open and he would later swear that he could feel those cold eyes burning into the back of his head. He swallowed again, clenched his fists one more time, then turned and looked up towards the bot that had haunted his thoughts for so long.

"Uh… Hi. Er… Prowl. I uh… wondered if I could talk to you? If you're not busy I mean… um, yeah." He knotted his fingers together and clenched them convulsively as Prowl stared down at him with a face devoid of any emotion.

Then Prowl stepped to the side and motioned his arm towards the austere room, "Come in."

Sam darted into the room and backed up against the wall opposite the massive steel bed. Other than the bed and a small (for an Autobot) table, the room was empty.

"Forgive the lack of proper accommodations," Prowl said sardonically, "I don't get many visitors."

Sam's head sunk, "I'm sorry," he said softly.

Prowl's head snapped back. For a moment, the wall over his emotions fell and Sam could read a kind of startled bemusement but then the walls came back up and his face was studiously blank once again.

Sam pressed on, "I'm sorry for the way I've been avoiding you, and I'm sorry that everybody has been treating you so terribly, and I'm sorry that you had to live with the Decepticons for such a long time because that must have really sucked, and I'm sorry that you don't get any visitors-" he ran out of air and had to suck in several deep breaths. He glanced up and nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw that Prowl had leaned in close to him while he was speaking and now his face was only feet away from his own. Sam could feel his eyes burning into him, reading him, and it was a hundred times more intense than anything Optimus had done.

"No," Prowl said finally, in a soft tone that Sam couldn't believe came from the same bot, "Don't apologize to me, Samuel. I brutally assaulted you, and no matter what my reasons were there is nothing that could justify my behavior. You and the Autobots have every right to ostracize me for my actions."

Everything within Sam stopped as he tried to process what had just happened. Prowl had apologized to him? Prowl had apologized to him… All the fear drained out of him and was replaced with fondness for this bot who had given up so much and yet expected nothing in return. If Optimus felt anything remotely like what he was feeling right now, he could completely understand why he treated Prowl with such respect. Sam looked into Prowl's eyes smiled, putting all of his newfound warm feelings into it. "Don't worry about it Prowl," he said firmly, "I forgave you a long time ago." And now that he thought about it, he had forgiven him a long time before, he just hadn't noticed it till now.

Sam watched as, in what seemed like slow motion, the walls covering Prowl's emotions crumbled and fell, and as the unhappiness fled from his optics Sam realized that they really weren't cold after all. They were warm, like the soft tides of a Caribbean sea.


	3. A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter

Title: Double Agent

Author: vashsunglasses

Rating: T

Fandom: Transformers 2007

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers and I make no money from this story.

Summary: Movieverse. AU. An Autobot double agent reveals himself from among the ranks of the Decepticons at the behest of Optimus Prime.

* * *

"Good morning, Prowl!" Sam said cheerfully, waving at the black and white mech that had just entered the room.

Prowl nodded, "Good morning, Samuel. I noticed that you tend to skip breakfast before morning meetings so I took the liberty of bringing you up something from the Kitchen."

Bumblebee dropped his data pad.

Sam caught the Pop Tart package that was thrown to him and his stomach grumbled audibly as he tore into it.

Bumblebee looked around the room as surreptitiously as he could, to see if he was the only one seeing this, but Ironhide, Ratchet, and the human contingent looked as stunned as he felt. Only Optimus was unmoved, though Bee was sure he could detect a suspicious aura of glee around his person… and that just wasn't normal. Optimus didn't do glee. Something was definitely afoot.

Detective Bumblebee was on the case. He had read a lot of detective novels recently over the Internet and he was pretty sure he knew suspicious activity when he saw it. As he watched the previously cold and distant Prowl gaze protectively at Sam, and Sam returning the gesture with frequent smiling glances in between bites, Bee knew it was up to him. He would figure out the Mystery of the Sudden Friendship if it killed him.

It wasn't that he had anything against friendship, it was the suddenness that surprised him. Sam had made it clear since day one that he didn't want anything to do with Prowl, and Bee had agreed with him. Bee didn't like to admit it, but 'Barricade' had deeply frightened him that day at the Junkyard. He trusted Optimus completely so he had no doubts that Prowl was a trustworthy Autobot, but he still felt uncomfortable around him and had been happy to stay out of his way. But there was no way he could continue to do so Sam now so insistent on associating with him.

Bumblebee mentally put on a deerstalker cap and tried to imagine himself sucking on a calabash pipe. He paid little attention to the morning meeting, instead focusing his attentions on the mystery at hand. He gazed at his oblivious charge as he thought his way through the facts so far.

Bee knew that Sam was a kindhearted being, and as such he was relatively certain that his obvious forgiveness of Prowl was genuine. But he also knew that Sam didn't just do things for no reason. Therefore there must be something he wasn't processing about Prowl. There was no help for it. He was going to have to spy on him until he figured it out.

The rest of the meeting went slowly, and not for the first time Bee wished he could discover a way to alter his programming just enough that he could go into recharge but appear to the other bots as if he was actually awake. He had tried propping himself up and keeping his optics bright, but Ratchet and his accursed scanner had figured him out in an instant. Scrubbing out the medbay had not been fun.

When Prowl left the room, Bumblebee followed him from what he considered a safe distance. He waited in the hallway for a good five minutes before darting into the large storage bay and crouching behind some wooden crates.

"Bumblebee, if you plan to spy on me, please at least make an attempt to stay unnoticed. I find it rather insulting that you think me so blind as to not notice you hiding behind that stack of crates."

Bee stood up sheepishly, optics darting around the room to rest on anything that wasn't an annoyed ex double agent. It was hard to remember his earlier game of ace detective now that he was face to face with his quarry. He stepped around the crates haltingly and came to face the former agent, standing a generous distance away.

"Let me guess," Prowl's frosty voice intoned, "You're dying with curiosity over why your charge has taken a sudden liking to me."

Bumblebee nodded, staring firmly at his feet as if he had never seen them before.

Prowl, like his namesake, prowled up to the yellow scout until his feet came into Bee's vision much too close to his own. "You're going to have to ask him that question." He said, "I don't really understand it myself."

Bee jerked startled optics up to meet the icy blue ones staring coolly into his own.

Beneath cold optics, an even colder smirk appeared. "So, if you'll excuse me, I have things to do that don't include baby sitting mini bots." He started to step around him, but stopped when Bee squawked indignantly.

"Don't forget! This mini bot wiped the floor with your aft at the Junkyard!" Bee said, clenching his fists and glaring at the older bot.

Prowl's chin tilted up condescendingly, "Negative."

"What?" Bee exclaimed, "I totally kicked your ass!"

Prowl smiled smugly, "I let you win."

"Like Hell!"

The white and black bot shrugged, looking back over his shoulder, "Believe whatever you like… Now if you excuse me I really do have places to go." He turned once again to leave the room, but stopped cold when he saw the unfinished monument leaning against the wall about twenty feet to the side of the door.

Carved from a large block of marble that the humans had donated to the cause was a small but lifelike carving of Jazz. Bumblebee watched in amazement as grief rolled over his form in palatable waves.

"Jazz was my best friend," Prowl said softly, his optics never leaving the memorial. "We spent all our time together as sparklings, though we were from different casts. Every day I would sneak out of my dwelling after lessons and meet him in our secret hiding spot, at the back of an alley. We did everything together, and once we had grown up we began to make plans to create a private detective agency," Bumblebee twitched at this, but Prowl didn't seem to notice as he continued his tale, "but, then the war started."

"What happened?" Bee asked quietly.

"We both wanted to use our talents to help out the Autobot cause, but we were too proud to join up as lowly grunts and work our way up the ranks. No, we wanted to do something more, so we hid away from both sides while we formulated our plan."

"Our plan was for me to infiltrate the Decepticons as a spy, with Jazz as information runner. Optimus Prime tried to talk us out of it when we finally snuck into his office and told him, but we were insistent."

He paused for such a long time that Bumblebee began to think he was finished, but before he could say anything, Prowl began to speak once more.

"Jazz was the one who thought up the alias 'Barricade'."

"Why 'Barricade'?"

Prowl bowed his head, "He said it was because I would be the barrier between the Decepticons and victory."

"Oh," Bee said softly, "I didn't know… I'm really sorry this happened to you… I mean, coming back from hiding amongst the Decepticons for all those years, only to have your best friend die before you could return…" He stiffened as Prowl chuckled.

"You know what, young Bee?" he said with a hint of a true smile in his voice, "You are more like young Samuel than you think."

* * *

_Footnotes:_

_-A deerstalker cap is the type of cap typically associated with Sherlock Holmes._

_-A calabash pipe is a pipe made from a small gourd and also associated with Sherlock Holmes._


	4. Whate'ers begun in anger ends in shame

Title: Double Agent

Author: vashsunglasses

Rating: T

Fandom: Transformers 2007

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers and I make no money from this story.

Summary: Movieverse. AU. An Autobot double agent reveals himself from among the ranks of the Decepticons at the behest of Optimus Prime.

* * *

The sun was going down as Sam, Bumblebee, and Prowl sat on a hillside near the Autobot base, talking and sharing stories. From inside the base a group of Bots stood watching them from a large window.

Ironhide slammed his fists down on the crate in front of him, "That Decepticon has done something to them, I just know it! It was a bad idea allowing that Con to-"

"Ironhide that is enough," Optimus boomed, "Prowl is a trusted member of the Autobots and I will not allow you to slander him further."

Ratchet stepped forward, "Optimus-"

"No," Prime said sternly as he gazed out the window, "I have stood back and allowed this to go on long enough. If it takes the actions of two younglings to make seasoned Autobots see the light, then so be it. The two of them are wise beyond their years, but it shames me to think that the most trusted officers under my command have less wisdom."

Ironhide flinched as if hit by a solid blow. Ratchet stiffened.

Optimus took in their reflections and softened his stance once he saw his words had had the desired effect. "Are the words we Autobots profess to live by mere words? Or do they mean something more? If we cannot meet even our own allies with compassion, how can we hope to win this war? When the day of peace comes, it will fall upon us to forgive those on the other side. If we cannot do this then the war is already lost." He bowed his head. "Heed the example of those two kind hearts my friends."

With slump to his shoulders and a heavy spark Optimus Prime turned and walked slowly from the room. In silence the two Autobots looked to each other's optics then turned their glance outward towards the budding friendship silhouetted by the sunset.

_The End._


End file.
